A Literary History of Persia, Volume I

Description

DESCRIPTION

The classic work on the subject, A Literary History of Persia is still the standard work in the English language on the history of Persia and Persian literature. It spans four volumes (2,256 pages) and took about twenty-five years to write. Although it concentrates on Persian literature, it also surveys all aspects of Persian culture from Iranian pre-history to the twentieth century.

This edition is bound in a reinforced cloth cover in four volumes as in the original edition. Professor J.T.P De Bruijn of the University of Leiden has written a new introduction.

The remarkable freshness and liveliness of Browne’s prose will astonish readers. In addition to being a work of reference it is a book which may be read strictly for pleasure. J.T.P. De Bruijn’s new introduction surveys the history, significance and continued value of the work.

REVIEWS

… this work … could in the eyes of the Anglo-Saxon world with full right be judged and evaluated as a standard work.

— Franz Babinger

One feature of his work that has definitely withstood the test of time remains to be mentioned: the translations. A Literary History of Persia abounds with specimens of his great skill in rendering Persian poetry into English verse which, though marked by the translator’s period in style and wording, are still extremely readable and provide as true an impression of the originals as this is possible at all. By this he has best succeeded in the ultimate aim of his lifework: to act as an intermediary between the great culture of Persia and a modern readership.

— H.T.P De Bruijn (from the introduction)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface

Book I: On the Origins and General History of the People, Languages, and Literatures of Persia
I. Introductory
II. The Discovery and Interpretation of the Inscriptions and Documents of Ancient Persia, With Other Philological Matter
III. The Pre-Muhammadan Literature of the Persians, With Some Account of Their
Legendary History, As Set Forth In the Book of the Kings

Book II: On the History of Persia From the Rise of the Sasanian to the Fall of the Umayyad Dynasty (A.D. 226-750.)
IV. The Sasanian Period (A.D. 226-652)
V. The Arab Invasion
VI. The Umayyad Period (A.D. 661-749)

Book III: On the Early `Abbasid Period, or Golden Age of Islam
VII. General Characteristics of the Golden Age of Islam (A.D. 749-847) From the Accession of As-Saffah to the Death of Al-Wathiq
VIII. The Developments of Religion and Philosophy In the Golden Age of Islam
IX. The Great Persian Heresiarchs of This Period

Book IV: On the First Period of the Decline of the Caliphate, From the Accession of Al-Mutawakkil to the Accession of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna (A.D. 850-1000)
X. The General Phenomena of the First Period of the Decline of the Caliphate (A.D. 847-1000), From the Accession of Al-Mutawakkil to the Accession of Mahmud of Ghazna
XI. The State of Muslim Literature and Science At the Beginning of the Ghaznawi Period
XII. Religious Movements of This Period I. The Isma`ilis and Carmathians, or the “Sect of the Seven”
XIII. Religious Movements of This Period II. The Sufi Mysticism
XIV. The Literature of Persia During this Period

Bibliography
Index